The number 13 has long been stigmatised. In an ancient Norse myth, a dinner party of 12 is interrupted when a 13th guest crashes the event and kills the god of joy and gladness.Within Christian traditions, too, 13 is an unlucky number to have at a dinner party – there were 13 people at the Last Supper of Jesus Christ. And to top it all, a correctly tied hangman’s noose has 13 knots.
Meanwhile, Friday also carries negative connotations. Eve was rumoured to have given Adam the apple on Friday, thus bringing about the downfall of mankind. And to make matters worse, Jesus was crucified on a Friday.
It is no wonder then, that when the two are combined, Friday the 13th is considered so unlucky that many people decide to stay at home.
